SkookumLogger v5.0 now available

Bill Myers, K1GQ has released the latest version of the contest logging software SkookumLogger for macOS.

SkookumLogger is a contest logging program for macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later, available on the App Store. The app is self-contained, except that you will need to install drivers for your serial hardware if it uses a type of USB-serial adapter not supported by macOS.

The SkookumLogger Guide documents everything about SkookumLogger. The guide is available in the Help menu. You can interact publicly with me and other users via the SkookumLogger group at groups.io.

If you are experienced with other contest logging software, beware. SkookumLogger is not like other loggers, and you may become confused and frustrated. Consult the Introduction and Setup sections in the SkookumLogger Guide to get started. Also, ask questions on the groups.io SkookumLogger forum.

Some SkookumLogger Features

• Any number of QSOs per log
• Two QSO entry boxes supporting interleaved SO1R, SO2V, SO2R/2BSIQ with one keyboard
• Duplicate and needed multiplier checking as callsigns are entered
• Exchange pre-fill from log and from Exchange Archive (personal call history file)
• Partial callsign matching against log, Exchange Archive, and Super Check Partials (SCP) database
• Integrated download of the SCP and cty.dat databases
• Separate activity table windows (like band maps) for each contest band
• Multiplier checksheets for countries, regions, prefixes, zones, grids, other
• Time Tracker and Rate Tracker panels
• Score window with band breakdown and scoring for most contests
• Bidirectional DX Cluster packet spotting interface, with skimmer and QSX support
• CW call type-ahead and CW keyboard mode
• Context-sensitive, queued message sending for CW, SSB (using radio DVR), FSK/PSK (using radio encoder)
• Magic Message, like ESM with user-defined trigger key
• Stateless ESM triggered by the return key
• Voice Keyer using text-to-speech and Personal Voice Apple technologies to send SSB messages
• Audio recorder for QSOs, entire contests, arbitrary snippets
• Great circle maps with target vector, terminator and antenna pattern overlays
• SkookumNet networking for multi-operator/multi-transmitter configurations
• Amplifier standby/operate and drive power controls
• Rotator direction display and control
• Panadapter and mini-pan displays with graphical known-activity overlays and radio frequency control
• K1EL WinKeyer with KEY1/KEY2 management
• YCCC SO2R Box+ and YCCC SO2R Mini interfaces, including their WinKeyer emulations
• YCCC MOAS antenna switch interface
• XK-24 Keypad interface with red/blue backlights status indicators
• Cabrillo export for submitting log entries
• Automatic Cabrillo upload to support SCP
• ADIF and CSV export for moving contest QSOs to a general-purpose logger
• Automated log submission via Apple Mail and via web browser
• Statistics report for post-contest analysis of your contest log
• CW Practice mode for SO1R and SO2R/2BSIQ, simulating run and pounce pileups with realistic propagation

Changes in version 5.0 2024-10-30

New

• Skookumlogger now requires macOS 11 (Big Sur) or newer and supports macOS 15 (Sequoia).
• New Practice window, massive underlying code improvements including glitch-free audio. Full run and pounce simulation for one or two bands. New terminology documented in the Guide. Support for many more contests including some with exotic exchanges like ARRL SS. 
• Support for displaying spectrum data from an IC-7610 in a Main Receiver Panadapter window. Testing and improvement is still underway using a single IC-7610 loaner (thanks K3LR), and two IC-7610s at JA1BJI.

Changed

• The new Messages setting ‘Enable message chaining’ allows you to control whether or not tapping a message send key while a message is sending either ignores the tap or queues the message. The default is to enable chaining, which is the usual behavior.
• The ARRL DX Contest log type has been replaced by four types for CW/SSB Inside/Outside.
• Changed the Panadapter spectrum frequency grid line spacing to be 1, 2, or 5 kHz or multiples of 10 of those values, depending on span.
• Changed the Romanian district code for Bucharest from BI to BU, and made BU the alternate code for BI. Thanks CT1DRB.
• Added a QSY message for the voice keyer, distinct from the CW message.
• Made the Status Messages window content not editable, while still able to select content for copy-paste.
• Now attempt to automatically re-enable a radio or YCCC SO2R Mini when a device reports that the serial port for the device has disappeared due to temporary disruptions in space-time. Thanks JH5GHM.
• Changed the All Activities filter in activity tables to pass all spots, instead of rejecting not viable and duplicate spots. Thanks JH5GHM and W6FB.
• When focusing a non-empty call field, pre-fill any empty exchange fields. Thanks JH5GHM.
• The “shared” log table column for Age, Check and Class now has the appropriate title depending on contest rules.

Fixed

• QSO entry status was reported incorrectly for some text commands.
• Some text commands confused partials matching.
• Features meant to be hidden were exposed to all users, including a 30° Green Heron rotator controller “slip” correction. Thanks MØTDZ.
• The RxNr log column was missing for contests like WAE where the received exchange is a serial number. Thanks JH5GHM.
• The zone log table column was missing for contests with received zone in the exchange.
• CWT was always pre-filling the member ID field for DX stations with their country code instead of their ID when known from Exchange Archive or from previous QSOs in the log. Thanks K1IG.
• An alert was falsely reporting that DVR play was unavailable for Elecraft KX3 radios. This bug may also have affected several Yaesu radios, please report if you discover issues. Thanks NK4O.
• SkookumLogger was unable to create a log for Kansas QSO Party In Kansas. Thanks KK6MC.
• The sent exchange for new logs was being prefilled incorrectly for some contest rules.
• In YODX, entering one of the characters AENO or T in the info field when the call field was a YO station converted the letter to a digit. Thanks CT1DRB.
• Spots for KH6 stations were not appearing in Activity tables for Hawaii QSO Party Outside Hawaii.
• Spots for possibly needed calls in any Outside QSO Party were being assigned ‘Needed QSO’ font/color instead of ‘May be multiplier’ font/color.
• Might-be-multiplier testing was broken for all Inside QSO Parties.
• Revised code that determines whether or not a radio has a DVR and CAT support for playing DVR messages to handle Elecraft KX3, which always has a DVR that isn’t exposed by the options query. Thanks NK4O.
• Spots in activity tables were sometimes changing needed status when a new spot for the same activity arrived.
• Removed not-functional Track Radio checkbox for Amplifier 1. Thanks KA1IS.
• Accept “–” in info field for CQWW RTTY Inside for QSOs with DX. Thanks WA1Z.
• Cabrillo output for PAQP Outside included signal reports, which caused their log processor to report “bad” Cabrillo. Thanks W2CS, N5EP.
• Rules change: multipliers are now per-mode for Worked All Germany. Thanks W2RU, WA1Z.
• Two related bugs were failing to explain why a QSO was marked as Suspect, and were turning off the Suspect flag when rescoring a log. Example failure: in CQP Inside, logging “W0BH 1 KA” didn’t explain that KA isn’t a valid state or province code. Thants AI6W.
• Log > Toggle Transmit Focus (default shortcut F12) was setting pounce frequency to run frequency when changing from pounce to run; now does not touch pounce frequency. Thanks AI6W, GØDVJ.

The latest version of SkookumLogger is available free of charge for download here or visit the App Store.